


Alpha Expectations

by numinousnumbat



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha Merlin (Merlin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Knotting, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed, No mpreg, Omega Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Oral Sex, Sharing a Bed, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-28 09:33:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16720830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/numinousnumbat/pseuds/numinousnumbat
Summary: Uther Pendragon was considered the paradigm of an alpha ruler. So of course his son and heir, Arthur, was going to be an alpha as well, right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are always some consent issues inherent in a/b/o, but I've tried to write this as consensual as you can get within the scenario. 
> 
> The town names are selected from a list on Wikipedia and aren’t accurate in distance or era.

 “We’re going riding, get ready,” a voice said, interrupting Merlin’s sleep. A royal prat’s voice.

“Whaaaaa?” Merlin said, blinking and pushing himself halfway to sitting as a heavy something hit him in the chest.

“Wear this, you’re representing Camelot, not some village.” Merlin held up the thing that had been thrown at him. One of Arthur’s red riding cloaks. He’d carried it back and forth the laundry enough to know it well.

“I want to get to Caerwent and back before nightfall,” Arthur said. “Get food for two for the day and I’ll see to the horses.” Arthur didn’t wait for Merlin to acknowledge what he had said and turned on his heel and headed back out through Gaius's workshop.

And Merlin had been worried that today would be boring. He moved himself as quickly as he could, using the pre-dawn light to get dressed. He splashed water on his face and scrawled a note to Gaius before heading to the kitchens.

Two of the cooks were already up, kneading dough and simmering stock, and Merlin was able to get bread, cheese, fruit and even leftover almond cake in no time, and he hurried to the courtyard with a full bag on his shoulder. The air was chilly and he threw Arthur’s old cloak around himself. Arthur was already mounted on his horse, and the stable boy holding Merlin’s horse helped hoist him up. With a nod at the stable boy, Arthur kicked his heels into his horse and set off, and Merlin followed.

They rode in silence for as long as Merlin could take it, which was to say just past the city gates.

“So why are we going to Caerwent?” he asked, holding back a yawn.

Arthur loved riding and was barely holding back a grin. “Where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked. He turned to look at Merlin and did a double-take. “You look good in my colours,” he said, then kicked his horse and shouted “Race to the forest!” and Merlin shook his head and tried to catch up.

He didn’t even come close - one of Arthur's prized destriers against the rouncey Merlin was riding - but that wasn’t the point. Arthur was flushed and beaming as the horses picked their way through the forest. “We received a tip a few days ago that the sheriff in Caerwent is keeping more than he should in taxes. I’m just going to have a chat, see what we can do about the situation.” Arthur angled his horse so he and Merlin were riding as close together as they could be. “And you,” Merlin’s heart sank and he grimaced, “are going to see if you can find any evidence of their deceit.”

“Me?” Merlin asked.

“You,” Arthur said, looking smug. “You really have that whole ‘I’m an idiot’ thing down, so no one is going to suspect you know how to read.” Arthur looked over. “You do know how to read, right? Gaius claimed it, but I’ve not seen proof.”

“Hey, now,” Merlin said grinning. “You know it’s a good thing I can read or you’d have to read all of those letters from your admirers. _Dearest Prince Arthur, I’m just a good little omega waiting for your big alpha cock to fill me with babies_ ,” Merlin said in a high-pitched, sing-song voice.

“I do _not_ get letters like that,” Arthur said laughing. “No one writes like that. Not even desperate lower house daughters.” He shook his head. “And don’t read my personal things.”

“Fine, I guess you’ll have to spend your nights going through increasingly suggestive letters by yourself,” Merlin said, making a crude gesture.

“I'll burn it all,” Arthur said, looking faintly disgusted. He kicked his heels and his horse took off and Merlin grinned and tried to keep up.

They rode through the cold morning, Merlin thankful for his loaned cloak. He pulled it tight around him and around his face, breathing in the scent of Arthur and Camelot. It smelled like home, which was strange because he always thought he’d only think of Ealdor as home.

They had a late breakfast while they watered their horses at a stream, and as the sun was almost at its peak, they rode into Caerwent. Town business was conducted in a large stone building in the center of town, and Arthur lead the way there. The town was maybe a third of the size of Camelot, and Merlin quite liked it. It was busy enough that people were bustling about, but from this hill, he could overlook the walls to the rolling farmland below.

Arthur easily swung off his horse and grabbed her lead. Merlin attempted the same and only twisted his ankle a bit. Arthur looked over at him and rolled his eyes, but his small grin meant he was amused, not displeased.

A man with broad shoulders a sword stood next to the door. “Your business?” he called out.

Arthur turned. “Prince Arthur from Camelot, here to see Sheriff Selwyn,” he said. The man rang a small bell and a young boy, maybe 13 winters old, ran over. “Owin will see to your horses,” and Merlin and Arthur handed their reins over.

The man gestured them through the doors, and a short woman with a head of grey hair showed them to a small sitting room. Merlin was about to sit next to Arthur on the sofa when Arthur said, “Do try to show Caerwent that you are a decent servant,” and Merlin scooted to stand to the side of the room.

They waited for a few minutes, the old woman offering ale in the between time, when finally a very tall man with unfortunate facial hair entered.

“Prince Arthur, Prince Arthur of Camelot,” he said in a booming voice, the tips of his moustache bouncing. “What an honour, what an absolute honour to have you here.” He bowed so low Merlin thought he might tip all the way over. “What can our humble, humble town of Caerwent do for the Prince of Camelot?” he asked.

“Your farmers have the best oat yield per acre,” Arthur started, "and I was hoping you could show me around and see what you're doing so right." 

“Is that so?” the sheriff asked. “Well, we do incentivise them to work hard, very hard.”

“I can't wait to inform the King about it,” Arthur said. Merlin rather hated his _I’m a terribly important prince_ voice, but it did get the job done. “Is there somewhere my servant can wait? I hate having a friendly chat with servants around.”

Merlin didn't want to leave Arthur, which was silly, Arthur was a trained knight and more than able to take care of himself. Another bell was rung and Merlin was escorted to the back of the house and away from Arthur to a dim room where a young woman was polishing a seemingly endless amount of silver.

“Hullo, I’m Synne,” she said.

“Merlin,” he said. “I’m stuck waiting for Ar- my master, do you want some help?” She did and proceeded to chat his ear off, about the town, about the town drunk, about her parents, about her cat, about everything that didn’t help Arthur with his investigation into the sheriff. She did give Merlin the rundown on the building, where the rooms were, who worked here, which would be useful if Merlin could get some time alone. He was about to ask if there was someplace he could get some air when he was gifted an even better opening.

“So Wallis, that omega I was telling you about, is only in town until tonight,” she said wistfully.

“Oh, I didn’t realise you were an alpha,” Merlin said.

“You betas are all the same,” Synne said as she tossing a spoon down and grabbed the next one. “It must be going through life colouxrblind, like my little brother, can’t tell if a tree is green or red for the fall.”

“So I take it you want to get to know this nice omega better?” Merlin said.

“But I don’t know what to do!” she wailed.

“I’ve heard the way to an omega’s heart is through his stomach,” Merlin said. “Do you think he’d be interested in almond cake, straight from the kitchens at Camelot?”

Her face lit up. “Do you- can you- ?” Merlin laughed and dug into his bag, pulling out the cake and hoping Arthur wasn’t going to miss it. “Why don’t you take this out to him and see what happens?” he asked.

“I need to finish here first,” she said, her face going from elated to dejected in a split second.

“You go, I’ll keep working on the silver and if anyone asks -”

“I’m in the privy with diarrhea!” she said. “Merlin, you saved me, thank you!” she said, kissing his cheek, grabbing the cake and scurrying out the door.

 _Finally someone thanks me for saving them_ , Merlin thought to himself. He continued to polish a few more minutes, making sure Synne didn’t change her mind.

Once he decided the coast was clear, he slipped on his bag and left the room, went down the hallway and found the door to the sheriff’s private office, right where Synne said it would be. It was locked but a muttered spell opened it with a small click. Merlin slipped inside, and there was light enough from the midday sun that he didn’t need to conjure light or light a lamp. He looked around. Loads of comfortable chairs, a bookshelf full of more silver and small paintings - at least two of the sheriff himself - and a desk. That seemed like the most logical place to start and Merlin tried the drawers. Nothing, nothing, ooooh sweets!, nothing, locked. He quickly unlocked the drawer and it was empty. Except, yes, this drawer was too shallow. He poked around with his fingers and as his finger hit a button, the bottom slid open and a plain black book was lying there.

Merlin flipped through the first few pages of the book and saw columns of numbers. Looked promising. He slipped it into his bag with the bread and cheese, and then carefully closed the drawer. He added his own spell the the drawer; they’d need to open it with an axe next time.

He slipped out the room, locking it behind him and made it back to the room with the silver in no time at all. He was on what felt like his one billionth fork when Synne came back in, practically skipping in her happiness.

“He’s coming back for the festival next week,” she said twirling before sinking down in her seat, her hands already grabbing the silver with practiced ease. “We’re going together.”

“That’s great!” Merlin said.

“He thought I was sweet,” she said.

Merlin was happy for her. She was a sweet woman, and she had given him enough information to hopefully find the thing that Arthur wanted. They polished together, Synne mostly talking about Wallis the whole time, and Merlin found it endearing. He was thankful that it was fall and not spring, the time of year that omegas went into heat and all the alphas and omegas could talk about was sex. It was always a bit awkward for betas and those that had yet to present.

Truth was Merlin was probably a beta, but he was still inside the age when one could present as an omega or alpha, but he didn’t like to remind people how young he was. He didn’t know his father, and these things were mostly genetic and it didn’t seem like the sort of thing he could ask his mum. Well, he’d know soon enough. Or he could ask Gaius, Gaius might know, although it might be a little too personal to talk about with Gaius.

He was mid-fork when the door was opened by the old woman from before. “The Prince said to meet him out front,” she said turning and leaving.

“It was lovely to meet you, Synne, and I hope Wallis makes you very happy,” Merlin said.

“Thank you!” she called out as Merlin was double-checking the black ledger was still in his bag and pulling on his cloak to head outside.

Arthur was ready and Merlin scrambled on top of his horse and they left town side-by-side. At the main road, Arthur turned left, away from Camelot.

“Are we not heading back?” Merlin asked.

“Got word there was an accident at the millers down the road,” Arthur said, glancing up at the sun. “I’d like to check it out first.”

They were running out of daylight hours, but the worst case scenario was they spent the night in the woods, something they did fairly often on hunting trips. Although on hunting trips, the knights generally put up big tents and built fires and had plenty of wine to pass the night. But Arthur was in charge, and Merlin nodded.

The miller was only a few miles up the road, located at a better part of the river. It was less a town than a small collection of buildings, taking advantage of their place on the river and their location a few miles from Caerwent.

There was the mill and next to it, a small inn offered food and drink. Arthur swung off his horse, and Merlin followed. Merlin held onto the horses while Arthur conferred with the townspeople that had gathered around the entrance to the inn.

Arthur walked over to Merlin and spoke in low tones. “The miller crushed his leg. I’m going to visit, so see if you can feed the horses as we’re losing daylight.”

Merlin nodded but Arthur had already turned in a swoosh of red fabric. He found a watering trough and with a small coin for one of the children hanging around, he procured hay for the horses. Arthur found him there not even a half-hour later.

“We’re leaving your horse for the miller’s family,” Arthur said. “I’d leave money, but I don’t trust that sheriff.”

Merlin grabbed the bag with their food and the ledger, and the bedroll the stable boy had remembered to include that morning. “Am I to walk?” he asked.

“As much as I don’t want to return to the meetings I need to attend in Camelot, we do need to make good time, so you’re riding double with me.”

That was better than walking, slightly. Arthur handed the reins to Merlin's horse over to a man who had followed him, and with a handshake and a pat on the horse's flank, they were finished with their business.

Arthur swung himself onto his horse neatly, and then held out his hand to Merlin. Merlin sighed and with Arthur’s help, somehow managed to get himself situated in front of Arthur. Arthur held himself stiffly, and the horse walked out of town slower than they entered. She had almost twice the weight now, and they still had miles to cover. Once they were out of town, Merlin slumped back and Arthur wrapped his arm around Merlin’s waist and they started on the long journey home.

As night fell, they were still miles away from Camelot. When they stopped to water the horse, Arthur looked around. “This seems like as good of a spot as any,” he said. He stamped at the ground, looking for a smooth, flat spot. “Please tell me you didn’t eat all of the food,” he said looking over at where Merlin was finding a place to hitch the horse.

“I didn’t eat all of the food,” Merlin said and took the bag off his shoulder and handed it to Arthur. Arthur opened it and pulled out the black ledger.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Oh, right, it was in a hidden drawer in the sheriff’s private office,” Merlin said. “Thought you might want to have a look at it.”

Arthur threw back his head and laughed. “That’ll do.” He started paging through it, nodding occasionally. “ _Sheriff personal fund payouts_ seems pretty incriminating.” He put the ledger back in the bag looking pleased.

Arthur gave the horse a rubdown while Merlin gathered wood. They made a small fire and huddled close, sharing the food as Merlin warmed it over the fire. It had been a bright, clear day and now the night was clear as well, and cooling fast. Merlin found himself scooting closer and closer to the fire.

Arthur unrolled of their bedrolls next to each other near the fire and laid down to one side. Merlin wasn’t sure what he intended and hoped he wouldn’t have to spend the night with just his cloak. “You can lie here or freeze to death,” Arthur said. “It doesn’t matter to me, but do make up your mind quickly.” It was an easy decision, and Merlin laid down on the bedroll next to Arthur, and Arthur threw both their riding cloaks over the top of them and although the ground was hard and there was a rock digging into his hip, he found himself nodding off in no time.

 

❦❦❦

 

The next morning, he woke when it was still dark. No, that wasn’t right, it was dark red. Oh, he was completely under the red cloaks, next to something very warm. Oh dear, he had ended up with his head in Arthur’s armpit. And an erection. This was embarrassing.

“Hey! Start the fire,” Arthur said, tapping his head. “You’re my servant and I want you to start the fire and bring me breakfast.”

“It’s very cold,” Merlin mumbled to Arthur’s side. But it wasn’t cold, it was suspiciously warm.

“You’ll survive,” Arthur said. Merlin rolled to his other side, hoping Arthur wouldn’t notice his cock situation. He poked his head out and could see a thick layer of frost around them, but not on them and it was warm even outside the cloak. Merlin sat up and stretched and with his outstretched hands he could feel where the warm air ended and the cold air started. Oh, crap, his magic had gone crazy overnight and made them this cozy warm cocoon. His magic hadn’t acted out like this in years. Well, if he could get the fire started fast enough, maybe Arthur wouldn’t notice. He gently and discretely pushed the spell away and put his cloak on before getting up and collecting more wood.

It only took a bit of blowing and poking to get the embers up to a proper fire, and he warmed up the last of their bread and held it out to Arthur who was finally sitting up and looking grumpy. “It was cold without you. I’m adding ‘bed warmer’ to your list of duties you can manage.” Merlin smiled at how Arthur’s hair was sticking up. “It’s a very short list,” Arthur said between bites.

“I don’t doubt it,” Merlin responded.

They finished breakfast and reluctantly stomped out the fire. Arthur again helped Merlin onto the horse and they slowly made their way back to Camelot. They were at the gates by noon and Merlin was scrubbing bottles for Gaius in no time.

He mentioned the strange thing his magic had done while he was sleeping, and he felt better after telling Gaius, a weight off his shoulders. 

“Your magic has never done this before?”

Merlin could remember quite a few very cold nights in the house with his mum, but even then his magic hadn’t warmed the place until his mum said he could. He shook his head no.

“Was it an especially cold night?”

“There was a frost, but we’ve slept out in worse.”

A noncommittal “hmmmmm,” was all Gaius answered. “Let me know if it happens again.”

It was late that day and Merlin was looking forward to getting into his bed when Gaius handed him a potion. “Your prince needs this.” He handed another bottle to him. “And the Lady Morgana this one.”

“Now?” Merlin asked, visions of his bed fading.

“Sleeping draughts,” Gaius said, giving him a look, “I think night time is a better time for that than morning, don’t you?”

Merlin sighed as he grabbed the bottles. Morgana first. He knocked softly on the door, unsure if Gwen was still working or if Morgana would answer. A few moments later the door cracked open, and it was Gwen. She beamed up at him.

“Sleeping draught for one Lady Morgana,” he said, handing the bottle over.

“Thank you, Merlin,” Gwen said.

“Merlin, get away from my maid,” Morgana said sharply. Gwen looked surprised, but nodded her head once and closed the door softly.

He made his way up to Arthur’s chambers where he didn’t bother knocking and let himself in. Arthur looked exhausted, propped up in bed, shirt off and skin glowing from the light of a few candles.

“Gaius made this for you,” Merlin said softly, walking over to him.

“Are you done with your chores for him?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, only you drinking this stands between me and my bed.”

Arthur uncapped the bottle and downed it in a few gulps. “Get in,” he said, throwing the covers back.

“What?”

“Get in, I told you you were a reasonably competent bed warmer.” Merlin took the bottle from Arthur and set it on his side table. “I’ve been sleeping like shit for weeks, except for last night in the woods, which should have been the worst sleep of the month. I guess I need someone warm next to me, and you’ll do.” And the people of Ealdor thought Merlin wouldn’t amount to anything and here he was being used a human water bottle by the crown prince of Camelot.

Merlin blew out the candles and walked around the bed to the other side. He pried his boots off and shimmied out of his tunic and trousers and slid in between the silky soft sheets.

“Closer,” Arthur slurred. Ah, good, the sleeping draught was working. Merlin could probably head back to his bed in a few minutes.

Or … he could close his eyes and enjoy the prince’s big, soft bed for the night. Besides one cheeky nap last spring when Arthur was at a jousting tournament, Merlin had never had this luxury. His last thoughts before sleep overtook him were about how good Arthur smelled.

He awoke in a tangle of limbs, blissfully warm, with a heavy arm across his middle. Arthur would be a cuddler. He wiggled his way out from Arthur's embrace, put his clothes back on, and went to stoke the fire to see if he could get the room warm before Arthur woke.

Arthur had rolled over and was watching Merlin. “Sorry,” Merlin said in hushed tones. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I need to be up to get training in before my father needs me,” he said stifling a yawn. “Make sure your last chore of the day is bringing me another sleeping draught.”

“As you wish,” Merlin said and he hurried down the stairs to collect the prince’s breakfast.

Gaius avoided mentioning Merlin’s sleeping arrangements for all of ten minutes.

“Is the Prince sleeping better?” he asked while Merlin was stirring one of the pain draughts they were restocking today.

“I’d say so,” Merlin said.

“Well, last night he only drank rose water, so I guess his sleeping problems are over.” Gaius paused and then looked at Merlin. “Unless there is something else that’s changed.”

Merlin continued to stir and not make eye contact with Gaius. “Maybe he wanted me to stay in his bed with him.”

Gaius raised an eyebrow. “I know I don’t need to go over biology with you, Merlin, but you’re both young men that haven’t presented yet and you cannot risk becoming heatmates or even possibly bonding with the prince.”

Merlin spun to look at Gaius, the spoon in his hand dripping onto the stone floor. “He’s an alpha, right? His father made him crown prince.”

Gaius held his hands up. “While he is likely to follow his father’s footsteps and present as an alpha, he has yet, to my knowledge, not presented as such. Unless you know something I don’t.” Gaius gave him a searching look.

“I don’t know anything,” Merlin said.

“No, you never do, do you,” Gaius said with a sigh and turned back to his work.

 

❦❦❦

 

That night, after a short discussion between Merlin and Gaius, Merlin brought Arthur a weak version of the sleeping draught. He handed it to Arthur and Arthur looked up at him.

“What?”

“Gaius told me that you haven’t presented yet, and he said that since I don’t know if I’m going to present that we shouldn’t sleep next to each other so I don’t go into heat and we accidentally bond.” 

Arthur stared at Merlin while Merlin shifted back and forth nervously on his feet. Arthur took the whole draught in two swigs and handed the empty bottle back to Merlin. “I’m the future king of Camelot,” he said. “I’m not going to bond with some idiot servant.”

“Right!” Merlin said. “That’s what I told him.”

“And I thought you were a beta.” Arthur pulled the blanket up over his shoulders.

“I don’t know my father and I never asked my mother,” Merlin said.

“Of course,” Arthur said dryly. “Well, go along, don’t want to make Gaius angry.”

“He just -” Merlin’s shoulders slumped. “He’s looking out for you. If you need me, you know where I’ll be.” Merlin made the long, cold walk back to his bed.

Merlin should have been more surprised, perhaps, in the morning that Arthur had joined him during the night. His bed had barely enough room for him, and the two of them were tangled together and Arthur was using Merlin’s arm as a pillow. It was nice, even if his arm was losing its feeling.

He heard Gaius walking up the stairs, calling out “up and at ‘em” and Merlin was scrambling to hide Arthur behind him as Gaius opened the door.

Gaius stopped and stared at Arthur for a moment. “We need to talk,” he said, turning and walking back down the stairs. “Both of you,” he called out over he shoulder.

Merlin fetched breakfast from the kitchens for the three of them, and Arthur was sheepishly drinking tea with Gaius when Merlin returned.

“Ah, Merlin, I was telling Arthur here that I believe he’s about to present,” Gaius said after Merlin had pulled up a chair to the table.

“But it’s not spring,” Merlin said. Everyone knew omegas go into heat in the spring and alphas will present in the presence of an omega in heat. That’s why Beltane was celebrated, a way to get all of the people of presenting age together so they could smell each other’s pheromones and shag like crazy. Well, as Merlin understood it, his mother hadn’t ever let him attend.

“It’s really embarrassing to talk about this stuff with you,” Arthur said.

“I’ve been your physician since you were a baby,” Gaius said. “There is nothing embarrassing about the human body.”

“I bet having a giant boner for three days is kinda embarrassing,” Merlin said.

“Not helpful, Merlin,” two voices said simultaneously.

Arthur tore his bread into tiny pieces. “If we’re finished here I’m going to stab things with my sword until I feel better.”

“That’s exactly what an alpha does with an omega in heat,” Merlin said, grinning broadly, quite proud of that one.

“One moment,” Gaius said and then took an uncharacteristically long moment to compose his thoughts. “Based on a few things Merlin has mentioned and, well, Arthur's behaviour these past few nights, it is possible that Arthur is presenting as an omega and Merlin is presenting as an Alpha.”

Merlin was so taken aback he was quiet for a few seconds. Arthur an _omega_?

Arthur mirrored the shock he was feeling in his face. “What? I can’t be an omega.”

Gais held his hands up. “It is too soon to tell for sure, but I will find someone discreet to scent you two and see what they say.”

“If you need me, I’ll be training,” Arthur said, pushing back from the table with determination and leaving his breakfast mutilated and untouched.

Merlin had finished his own breakfast and grabbed Arthur’s plate to keep eating.

Gaius shook his head. “Not only does your job rely on Arthur being a forgiving sort, your actual life as well. You should heed your position.”

“Arthur likes me like this,” Merlin said, shrugging as he shoved more of Arthur’s breakfast into his mouth. “And Uther is an alpha, shouldn’t Arthur be an alpha?”

Gaius held his hands up placatingly. “Usually that’s how it works, yes, but there are some deviations from what is expected. Morgana, for instance, should have been an beta like I knew her mother to be, but ended up taking after her father. Things like this happen.”

It was only hours later while Merlin was gathering late season herbs that he had a moment to realise: he might be an alpha. He was the same as Uther Pendragon. He was probably going to end up in charge of some omega’s heat some day.

Oh, gods, he was going to get a _knot_.

Nothing made sense anymore.

 

❦❦❦

 

The next day was all meetings for the royals, important enough that he and Gwen were sent away for most of it. Arthur had the black ledger from the sheriff with him, and Merlin hoped the sheriff would spend a few years in the dungeons.

He was doing his best to not think about the whole presenting as an alpha situation.

It was nice having a day to be with Gaius and together they were able to make draughts and get caught up on the never-ending cleaning. Gaius was so tired he let Merlin use a bit of magic to keep the water warm so they could keep cleaning without having to reheat the water over the fire. It was dull but important work, and the sort of work that Merlin was only starting to appreciate.

Morgana appeared at the end of the day. “Can I help you?” Merlin asked, drying his hands from the last of the dishes. Her sleeping draught was ready, maybe she wanted to go to bed earlier than usual.

“Gaius asked me here,” she snapped, just as Gaius emerged from the back storeroom.

“Thank you for coming, my Lady,” he and offered her the nicest chair. “Merlin, can you find Prince Arthur and ask him to join us.”

Merlin hurried off. He found Arthur in his chambers, sharpening a sword.

“Finally decided to make yourself useful?” Arthur said without bite.

“Gaius wants to see you,” Merlin said, getting ready to duck in case Arthur decided to throw that sword at him.

“Damn it,” Arthur said, shoulders slumping.

They walked down the stairs together, Merlin trailing Arthur.

The entered Gaius’s workshop, and Morgana and Gaius were seated and looked to have been quietly conversing.

“Morgana,” Arthur said. His tone was wary and clipped. Morgana stood and held open her arms and Arthur stepped forward into her embrace and they held each other for a few moments and then Morgana tilted her head to the side to better scent him - Merlin had seen this happen hundreds of times between alphas and omegas but it was so strange to see someone scenting _Arthur_ \- and she stepped back with tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Arthur,” Morgana said in a near whisper. “You’re definitely an omega.”

Arthur’s shoulders slumped and it took everything Merlin had to keep from going and offering him comfort, but this wasn’t the time or place for a prince to be too familiar with a servant.

Morgana next came up to Merlin but didn’t hold her arms out for an embrace, just leaned in close to his neck and then sprang back, holding her finger under her nose.

“Alpha,” she said wincing.

Oh, shit. Well there went their last hopes that this wasn't happening. 

Arthur was pale and looked unsteady on his feet, and Gaius had him sit by the fire, away from Merlin. Gaius patted his shoulder and told him that they'd come up with a plan. 

"I can't hide in my room because I'm afraid of my hormones," he said stubbornly, and Gaius must have realised he wasn't going to be getting anything else out of him and sent him off to his room with a sleeping draught, with Morgana leaving soon after. 

Gaius turned to Merlin after they left. "Have a known beta or omega wait on him, or else you two  _will_  go into heat together."

Merlin shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. "Someone needs to be his heatmate." 

Gaius's face softened. "I know. And under other circumstances, you two would be good heatmates. But you have to remember that heatmates share everything with each other, and he would find out about your magic." 

"I know," Merlin said, and sighed. Two sides of the same coin, his arse.

 

❦❦❦

 

Arthur, uncharacteristically, decided to not tackle his problem on his own, so it was left to Morgana and Gaius to make plans. Gwen updated Merlin from the bits and pieces she was able to put together, and Merlin did the same for her.

Morgana knew of two royal women who were alphas and probably unbonded, both outside the kingdom, although maybe that was for the best she said.

Gwen had a half-dozen local alpha women she was willing to speak to see if they’d be willing to help Arthur through his first heat. The timing was awkward but most alphas would follow an omega into heat, even out of season. If they could spend time together - the alpha scenting Arthur’s omega pheromones - it would help sync them. Gaius had potions to prevent pregnancy.

“The good news,” Gaius said looking up from a book he’d been consulting, “it appears out of season heats are generally shorter, usually only a day instead of three.” He looked directly at Merlin. "But when two people present out of season together, they are _much_ more likely to bond." He waited for Merlin to acknowledge what he said before turning back to his books. 

Merlin also researched, going through the oldest and dustiest of tomes, looking for anything that might help Arthur. He found one spell that might be able to mask omega pheromones, but Gaius said the list of ingredients made it just as likely to jumpstart Arthur’s heat and wouldn’t let Merlin risk it.

Gaius used cruder and cruder language to tell Merlin to make sure he kept his dick out of Arthur because blah blah blah Merlin's magic already starting to bond and blah blah blah.

Before bedtime, they all were back at Gaius's workshop for a quick meeting to update Arthur on his choices. Arthur didn’t look good, paler than normal, flushed cheeks.

Morgana situated herself as far from Merlin as she could, and Gaius began. They had two options. Tell Uther, and it was likely Uther would send Arthur to a alpha far away. Don’t tell Uther and bring in a local alpha, one who would keep a secret for a few coins; Gaius would cover for the few days they needed, telling Uther that Arthur had a fever of some sort.

Arthur seemed to take everything in stride, his jaw clenching every now and then. When it seemed every one that needed to speak was finished, he thanked them for their time and said he’d let them know his decision the next day.

“Merlin, you still have chores to finish,” he said, barely turning his head as he walked back towards his chambers.

Merlin looked at Gaius, who gave him a pointed look, and then Merlin followed Arthur. He caught up and they entered Arthur’s chambers together, Arthur going straight to behind his changing screen. Arthur held his arm out so Merlin could help him out of his clothes.

“What I find interesting,” Arthur said without preamble, “is that none of the of those so called solutions included the one person that started this whole thing.”

“No, sire?” Merlin said, working his fingers over Arthur's belt buckle.

“You, Merlin.” Arthur sounded annoyed. “From what I can gather, sharing a bed in the woods somehow caused both of us to start presenting horribly out of season.”

Merlin should never forget that Arthur was many things, but an idiot he was not.

“Maybe they assumed you would prefer to go through your heat with a woman and not … me,” Merlin tried.

“Is there a girl for you in Ealdor?” Arthur said, his voice muffling as Merlin pulled his outer garments off. “A boy?”

“No, nothing like that,” Merlin said, tossing the garments across the screen so he could hang them later.

Arthur turned to look at him. “Do you want to tell me, or do you need a few hours in the stocks to help you think more clearly? Why don’t they want you to share a heat with me?” He poked a finger into Merlin’s shoulder. “I know your cock is interested, I’ve felt it.”

Merlin winced. He didn’t like the idea of Arthur sharing his heat with someone else. “There is something that you might want to know about me before asking.” Merlin slipped on Arthur’s night shift over his head and smoothed it down the back.

“You have crabs.”

“No - I haven’t - that isn’t.” Merlin was flustered. “I have magic, a little magic.” Arthur’s jaw dropped open in surprise, and Merlin couldn’t stop talking. “No, that’s not exactly true, I have a lot of magic, Gaius says more than anyone he’s ever known.”

“Are you joking, because that isn’t very funny.” Arthur would have looked a bit more intimidating in his armour or ceremonial robes than his night clothes, but he was still pretty terrifying.

“Not joking, but I think you can see that maybe the son of Uther Pendragon shouldn’t bond with this particular servant.”

“Show me.”

“Show you?”

“Magic. Come on, do it then.” Arthur looked furious. “Light that candle.” He pointed at the candle next to his bed.

Merlin didn’t even need the words to a spell for something that simple and he moved his hand in an arc and lit every candle in the room.

“Shit.” Arthur took a few steps backwards. “Care to explain what you’re doing disguised as a servant in my house?”

“I’m not disguised, I’m just me!” Merlin said.

“Did you use your magic to turn me into an omega to have your alpha way with me?” Arthur took a step closer.

“No, magic doesn’t work with biology like that. I even researched to see if I could use magic to change you into an alpha, but it can’t be done. It’s too against the natural order of things.”

Arthur walked to the bed and sank down weakly. “This feels like I’m in one of Morgana’s nightmares. I’m an omega, and my manservant - who I quite literally have entrusted with my life - is a _sorcerer_.” He moved himself under the blankets. “Come on, get in.’

“You want me to stay?” Merlin asked warily. “You don’t think I’ll murder you?”

“I’m assuming if you wanted to kill me, you would have done so already,” Arthur said. “Just get in bed. And then do your magic thing and make the candles go out.”

"We'll make each other go into heat." 

"That seems like the least of my problems now, just lay down." Arthur looked and sounded exhausted. 

Merlin did so and they laid in bed side-by-side, not touching, although Merlin yearned to reach out. It felt like he laid there for hours without moving, but he must have fallen asleep at some point as he woke in the morning with Arthur grinding his arse into Merlin’s crotch. That felt good, really good. Merlin couldn’t help but make a small moan and Arthur stilled, but didn’t break contact.

“Do your magic thing and make a fire,” Arthur ordered.

Merlin whispered the words and the fire sprang up cheery and bright.

“I was hoping I’d had a strange dream, but I suppose not,” he said. “Come on, get your lazy arse out of my bed, I need breakfast.”

 

❦❦❦

 

Arthur didn’t have anything to say to Merlin, but didn’t release him to go back to Gaius. Merlin followed along while Arthur watched some of the knights training, offering tips and friendly pats on the back. He followed along while Arthur met with a few guild members in town. There was plenty of hay but nowhere to store it; Arthur said he’d find barn space before winter. He followed along and waited on Arthur while he had a silent lunch with his father. They spoke only a few minutes on legal matters before Arthur excused himself.

Merlin thought Arthur would want to head back out to training and was hoping to talk to Gaius privately about what had happened the night before, but Arthur turned down the hallway and entered the throne room, which was empty this part of the week. Uther typically only had it opened a few days a month to hear complaints and settle disputes, and it would be open shorter amounts of time while travel was hard during the winter months.

Arthur walked across and sank down into Uther’s throne. “This is someday going to be mine,” he said, finally speaking directly to Merlin after hours of silence. “Everything I do is for Camelot. What I want doesn’t matter. I serve my people. Do you understand?”

Merlin sank to his knees in front of Arthur and buried his head between his thighs before looking up at him. “The way you feel about Camelot is how I feel about you,” Merlin whispered. “My magic, my life: it’s all yours.”

“Do you want to share my heat with me? Bond with me?” Arthur asked. “It’s silly to pretend that won’t happen if we share my heat. And I won’t force you.”

“If you want me as your alpha and bondmate, then it’s what I desire as well,” Merlin said.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Arthur said. He lifted Merlin’s chin so Merlin looked him in the face.

“It does, I swear it to you,” Merlin said.

Something like relief flashed across Arthur's face. “Very well, attend to your duties today and attend to me tonight.” Merlin couldn’t stop the smile that was spreading across his face.

“You’ve done this before? Sex,” Arthur clarified.

“I’ve had sex,” Merlin said. Handjobs counted as sex, right?

“Well, have Gaius teach you the basics.” Arthur stood and offered a hand to Merlin.

“I know the basics,” Merlin said and Arthur pulled him to his feet. Arthur shot an eyebrow at him. “I’ll ask Gaius,” Merlin said quietly.

“And, Merlin,” Arthur said as he strode to the far door, leaving Merlin to exit out the side, “take a bath.”

 

❦❦❦

 

Merlin headed to Gaius’s, and it was a madhouse. It took a few hours to get the lines of sick and injured people through, dispensing draughts, checking bandages. When it was finally quiet, Gaius was drying his hands and giving Merlin an appraising look.

“Would you know if the young master has made a decision about his situation?”

“He has,” Merlin said.

“And which of the two options did he go with?”

“A third option.”

“We didn’t discuss that.”

“He asked me, and I accepted.” Merlin couldn’t quite look Gaius in the eye.

Gaius shook his head and started to say something, but Merlin interrupted. “I let him know about my own situation with the” - Merlin mimed the way he performed magic - “and he’s ok with it.”

“ _Ok_ with it.” Gaius was glaring. Merlin flinched. “ _Ok_ with magic. The son of Uther Pendragon is _ok_ with magic.”

“Yes,” Merlin said. “I couldn’t share a heat with him without him knowing about me.” Merlin needed Gaius to understand.

“And does he realise that he could very well be bonding with a sorcerer?"

"He does."

Gaius shook his head. "I wish you two a very happy heat together, then." 

"Thank you, Gaius," Merlin said softly. 

Gaius wrapped Merlin in a hug. "Take care of him, and we'll figure out the rest later." 

"I will," Merlin said. "Always."


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin didn’t know if Arthur wanted him as a take-charge alpha or his servant that followed orders, well, usually followed orders. Followed orders unless they were dumb, or inconvenient. So maybe following orders wasn't one of Merlin's best qualities.

Merlin had a small bottle of oil given to him from Gaius, and Gwen had cornered him just before dinner to trim and file his fingernails. 

"Like a girl?" Merlin had protested. 

Gwen refused to make eye contact. "The Lady Morgana has requested it," and Merlin decided it was sometimes better to not talk about things.

Merlin served Arthur at dinner, neither of them making eye contact. Arthur had barely eaten anything, and had a hard time paying attention to the conversation going on around him; Morgana had covered for him more than once. 

Arthur claimed his head hurt, and he and Merlin walked up to Arthur’s rooms together after dinner. Instead of heading to his changing area by his wardrobe, Arthur strode in and threw himself down in the chair by the fire.

“Do you feel it?” he said, running his hands through his hair and gripping tightly. “I couldn’t concentrate all afternoon, I feel weird, if this is being in heat, I don’t like it.”

“That sounds like pre-heat, Gaius said you’ll know when you’re in heat.” Merlin stayed near the door, unsure where Arthur wanted him.

“Don’t mention Gaius again, I forbid it,” Arthur said, looking a bit horrified. “Wait, did you ask him what to do?”

“I already know where my cock goes,” Merlin said. “But he told me what he knows about the whole heat thing.”

“I don’t want to think about it,” Arthur said, his head lolling back on the chair. “What else did he say?”

“He thinks this is a terrible idea and told me to talk you into finding a nice noble alpha woman. He also said the more time we spend together, the quicker your heat will come on, especially if we, you know.” Merlin couldn’t quite say it.

“I know _what_?” Arthur said. He was tapping his foot and holding his arms against himself awkwardly.

“Have sex.”

“Have sex with a _man_ when I’m not in heat?”

“Maybe I should get that list of female alphas for you,” Merlin said.

“No, no, no, we’re doing this,” Arthur said. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?” His question came out softer than anything he’d ever asked Merlin before.

“I haven’t,” Merlin said.

Arthur looked relieved, and he sighed deeply, running in his hand through his hair. “Ok, then let’s just get on with it. The faster we do this, the faster my heat starts and the sooner it's over and I don't have to think about it again.”

“Or until spring,” Merlin said brightly.

“Fine,” Arthur said. He stood and started shedding his clothes, letting the items drop one by one onto the floor where someone - Merlin - would have to pick them up later. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”

Merlin locked the door and started taking his clothes off, too, letting them drop to the ground. It seemed forward to take _everything_ off, but Arthur was naked, so Merlin went for it. Arthur crawled onto the bed and stayed on his hands and knees, head down. Merlin walked over and sat on the bed next to him.

This isn’t how he imagined his first time having actual sex would go. “Back rub?” he offered. 

Arthur thought about it for a moment, and then collapsed belly down on the bed. “Fine,” he said.

Merlin didn’t say anything, but dribbled a bit of the oil from the bottle from Gaius and started working down Arthur’s back in long strokes. He'd done this for Arthur many times, it was familiar and grounding. Usually Arthur was wearing more clothes, and Merlin for that matter. 

“I thought you were already an alpha,” Merlin said by way of apology for the entire situation.

“Everyone assumed I would be. Me, included,” Arthur said into the pillow. He squirmed a bit as Merlin pressed his thumbs into a knot on his shoulder.

"You never got to go to Beltane either?" Merlin wondered what would have happened if they'd found each other at a Beltane, would he be drawn to Arthur like he was now? This need to make sure he was safe and happy?

Arthur huffed out a laugh. "Can you imagine? My father would have never allowed such a thing."

Uther was an alpha’s alpha. Legend said birthrates blossomed nine months after he came to a town and he could put an omega in heat by walking past them and he presented at 12 winters old. Merlin thought it was all a load of horseshit, honestly.

“I wouldn't have like Beltane,” Arthur said not moving his head from where it was buried between his elbow and his pillow. “I trust you, not some Beltane stranger. If I’m going to get on my hands and knees and beg for a knot, I trust that you won’t think of me differently.”

“It’s because I already know you’re a prat and still put up with you,” Merlin said, and started working on his lower back. Arthur snorted into the pillow. Merlin wondered if it was a good time to talk about destinies. Maybe not when they were naked, that seemed like it should be more of a with clothes on talk.

He was basically giving Arthur a butt massage by now. “Are you ready for a finger?” Merlin asked. Gaius had gone over this several times: just because an omega thinks they're ready for a cock that doesn’t mean they are and always make sure. Arthur scooted his knees open wider, and Merlin took an oiled finger down Arthur’s butt and Arthur didn’t flinch or move as Merlin slipped it in easily.

“Oh,” Arthur said in surprise. Merlin slowly slid his finger halfway out and then back in. “More,” Arthur said to his elbow, squirming slightly, arching his back so he was more on display.

“Yeah,” Merlin said and slid out one finger and slid in two. Merlin had thought this part was going to be, well, unhygienic, but Gaius had pointed out that men had been enjoying this type of sex for all the ages. Merlin twisted his fingers around.

“Just do it,” Arthur said panting slightly. "Cock." Merlin withdrew two fingers that were more wet than what he had put in - Arthur’s body was getting ready for his heat - and moved around so he was kneeling almost on top of Arthur, but this wasn’t going to work because Arthur wasn’t going to tell him if something wasn’t working or it hurt, he would just bear it like a verbal cut down from his father or a training injury.

Merlin grabbed Arthur by the shoulder and rolled him to his back so he could watch his face and then lined himself up and pushed in, Arthur’s body yielding to Merlin’s easily. Merlin watched Arthur’s face tense and then relax as his arse took Merlin’s cock.

“More,” Arthur said reaching down to pull Merlin’s thighs so they were closer together.

“I can do that,” Merlin said, and took a long experimental thrust.

“Yeah,” Arthur groaned, and Merlin let his cock take over, and thrust in a way that felt good to him. Arthur was moaning in a good way and Merlin realised he was very close and took an oil-slicked hand to Arthur’s cock and as he moved his hand down Arthur was already coming, come oozing out onto his stomach and watching him come undone like that and hearing how much he enjoyed it was enough for Merlin and he bore down and thrust hard so he could to empty his cock as deep into Arthur as he could.

“God,” Arthur said and Merlin slid out of him and Arthur’s legs fell down and he was spread so wantonly across the sheets Merlin wondered why all of the art and songs were about women when no one was as beautiful as a recently fucked Arthur. Merlin gathered the sheets from where they had been kicked to the bottom of the bed and drew them up over Arthur and then over himself and he laid down next to Arthur.

“I didn’t beg,” Arthur said. Merlin couldn't remember what Arthur had said, he'd been so focused on the feeling of them where they were joined. 

“No, you commanded ‘harder, harder’ like a royal prat.” Merlin used magic to bring a glass with fresh water over to Arthur’s waiting hand.

Arthur grinned at the water. “I knew I picked the right heatmate,” he said smugly, taking a sip and placing the glass on the table.

Merlin had come and he expected his erection to go away like normal - like what happened at night when he was alone in bed with just his hand - but as he shifted, he realised he was still hard. Sensitive, and mostly erect. He glanced down and saw something he’d only seen in Gaius’s anatomy books and crude drawings on privy walls.

“I think I’m getting a knot,” he said and then felt mildly embarrassed when of course Arthur looked down. Arthur slid a hand down Merlin’s cock, squeezing it at the base where there was a slight swell. “Uuuuungh,” Merlin groaned out. That felt intense and good and he wanted more and didn’t know if he could take it.

“I always wondered what it would be like to get one of these,” Arthur said. “Not the sort of question you can ask your father when he’s king.”

“Well, it’s kind of weird and tingly,” Merlin offered. Arthur laughed.

Merlin loved his smile, the real smile, not his meeting advisors smile. Without quite meaning to, Merlin leaned in and kissed him on the mouth.

Merlin pulled back to apologise, but Arthur moved his head closer to Merlin and kissed him back.

Well, then.

Arthur was a good kisser. A great kisser. Oh, the best kisser in the world. And he smelled better than anything had ever smelled ever. Arthur’s tongue was in Merlin’s mouth and it wasn’t even that weird. He’d kept his hand around Merlin’s cock and was lightly squeezing it with small strokes and Merlin really really wanted to put it back in Arthur. He was hot, so hot and he kicked the blankets back down to the end of the bed.

“Arthur,” Merlin said breaking off their kissing.

“I need you to get you cock in me now,” Arthur said before Merlin could finish his thought.

“Yes, yes,” Merlin agreed and Arthur rolled over to his side and Merlin grabbed him around the waist and pulled him closer and Arthur lifted his top knee up and was murmuring, “In, in, in,” and Merlin shoved into the fever-hot, wet heat of Arthur, giving Arthur what he needed.

He kissed the back of Arthur’s neck and his shoulder and thrust in gently, and as his knot swelled, his thrusts got shorter still until they were completely locked together. It was a strange feeling, but a good one.

“How are you feeling?” Merlin asked quietly.

“Feels good,” Arthur said, voice slightly slurred. “Doesn’t hurt.”

Merlin snaked his arm through Arthur’s arm and held them tight together as Merlin’s cock kept them together lower down.

They stayed like that for a while, and when Arthur was ready, Merlin reached a hand around to make Arthur come, which seemed to be the signal for Merlin’s cock that it could come, and he did a few times, weird pulsing ejaculations that felt good, but not climaxes because they didn’t make him feel finished.

He felt weird and hot, and it was only lying there in the quiet, slowly stroking Arthur’s cock to keep Arthur's heat from overwhelming him - but not so fast and hard that he was going to come - that Merlin realised he was feeling Arthur’s heat. Was this bonding?

“Can you feel what I’m feeling?” he asked Arthur.

“Feel hot, hand feels good,” he said, which wasn’t much of an answer.

It took a while, but eventually Arthur was ready to come one more time and Arthur took over then, stroking himself to completion and coming with a groan, and then Merlin took over, and his knot was still there, so he found himself grinding into Arthur as Arthur pushed himself as much as he could around the knot and finally Merlin was coming and it felt good and final and he was relieved when he could a while later finally pull his cock from Arthur and they laid side by side not touching and that felt as good as anything else they’d done so far.

Merlin was definitely going to see about having regular, non-heat sex, because this was, quite frankly, a lot of work and exhausting.

He had no intention of moving and used magic to summon the healing salve from by the basin. He took a little on his fingers and knelt up to check Arthur’s arse.

Arthur didn’t open his eyes and swatted the air somewhat near where Merlin was. “Not ready.”

“Not sex, just a salve,” Merlin said and he was happy that although Arthur looked a bit red down there, he wasn’t bleeding or worse. Merlin gently rubbed the salve in and covered Arthur with a blanket and then laid next to him. He felt like he could sleep a week through, and as he felt Arthur's breathing slow, he joined him in sleep.

Merlin woke early, or maybe it was late, there was nothing like the slide into unconsciousness following a couple rounds of fucking apparently. He stretched in bed, and realised he was starving. He hoped someone would have left food outside and he didn’t bother with clothes as he cracked the door and checked.

Bingo! Someone had left a tray with breakfast, and it was still warmish. He picked up the tray from the ground, relocked the door, and started carrying it to their bed. Arthur had earned breakfast in bed, for once.

Arthur was watching him through heavy-lidded eyes. He had a red sheet wrapped around his waist and Merlin could see a few of the hickeys on his neck that Merlin had left last night.

He liked seeing them.

That was when Merlin tripped over his boot that he had left in the middle of the room and the tray flew out of his hand and without thinking he threw out his magic to catch it and landed on one knee, the tray boomeranging back to him and gently landing in his hands.

Arthur looked at his hands and then back up at Merlin. “I felt you do magic.”

“Good thing I already told you, right?” Merlin asked, suddenly nervous.

“You didn't say any words.”

“My magic is like that, sometimes, just part of me,” Merlin said. He stood and walked over to the bed, carefully avoiding more of his wayward garments. He sat the tray on the bed next to Arthur and then climbed over him to get back to his spot.

Arthur was still looking at him strange. “I thought magic was learned.”

“Most people do learn it, but I was born with it.” Merlin shrugged his shoulders at his fate, and grabbed a sausage.

“Don’t eat my sausages,” Arthur said with as much dignity that someone could muster naked with bedhead. Merlin turned the plate so the sausages were closer to Arthur.

Arthur made it through half of breakfast before Merlin felt Arthur’s heat rising again. “I thought we were done,” he whined into his pillow, shaking his arse at Merlin. Merlin moved the tray out of the way and came back, lined up, and pushed in, earning a groan from Arthur.

They were knotted for about forever, long enough that Merlin was a little bored and he wondered if Arthur would care if he used magic to bring over the rest of their breakfast when finally, finally, he was able to come and his knot started going down. He pulled out and watched his come and Arthur's wetness drip onto the bed and he vowed the first thing he was going to do when they were finished was take all of the bedding down the to laundry.

Arthur had rolled over to his back, his cock was still red and erect. Merlin could feel how uncomfortable Arthur was, how sore his arse was feeling. 

“Can I use my mouth on you?” Merlin asked.

“Oh, god, yes,” Arthur agreed and Merlin felt what Arthur wanted from him, too. Merlin positioned himself down between Arthur’s legs and licked the tip. He looked up at Arthur who had his eyes closed.

“More,” he said and Merlin put his whole mouth around Arthur’s cock and slid halfway down, which was strange, but nowhere near as strange as him fucking Arthur with a knot.

“Put your fingers in me,” Arthur asked pulling his knees back, and Merlin slid in two fingers and Arthur groaned and Merlin went back to sucking Arthur’s cock, sliding his fingers and discovering when he crooked his fingers just so it made Arthur moan. He kept at it and Arthur started thrusting up into his mouth almost choking him, but it was nice making Arthur feel good and Merlin encouraged him to keep going and Arthur came in Merlin’s mouth with Merlin’s fingers up his arse and Merlin hadn’t realised that he was erect let alone about to come but when Arthur’s come flooded his mouth he came untouched.

Well, then.

He used magic to call over a damp towel to clean up a bit and Arthur murmured, “I felt that.”

“I wonder what it’ll be like when I do big magic,” Merlin said absentmindedly, running the cloth over Arthur’s chest.

“Big magic?” Arthur said, Merlin felt his curiosity and apprehension. “What else can you do?”

“I, uh, break a lot of branches and redirect a lot of swords to save your arse.”

“Windstorms?”

Well, shit. “Yes?”

“It was you, I should have known.” Merlin felt how smug Arthur felt figuring it out.

“You know now,” Merlin said.

Arthur looked like he had more to say, but thankfully let the matter rest. Arthur gave himself a few minutes and then sat up and swung his feet to the ground. “I think my heat is over, and I’m going to wash and go find out what I missed while I was stuck in here.”

“We could stay in bed all day,” Merlin tried but Arthur was already standing and heading to his dressing area.

“I don’t want my father to visit,” he said to his feet as he was looking for something. Merlin usually laid out his clothes the night before so even if Arthur was up at some ungodly hour, he had clean clothes ready.

Merlin reluctantly joined him and saw dried semen and who knows what else down his leg. Arthur was probably in the same state.

“Bath?” he asked.

“Takes too long to heat the water,” Arthur said. “Just, you know, help wipe me off.”

Gross. “I can, you know” - Merlin wiggled his fingers at Arthur - “get it hot.”

Arthur was taken aback. “Ok, then,” and Merlin heated the water and helped Arthur step in and then ease him down into sitting. The cleaning clothes were rough, made for scrubbing off dirt and grime from a day of training in the fields, not for sore skin. Merlin sorted through the rags he had and took the softest, smoothest one and rubbed it a few times over the soap and then started on Arthur’s shoulders. Arthur didn’t say anything, and shifted to allow Merlin to move to the next place. Both his arms, his chest, his feet and then up his legs. He rarely had Merlin help him bathe, but this was quite nice. He dunked his head in the water and let Merlin work the shampoo through his hair, dunking a few more times to rinse the soap out. Merlin helped him stand and step out, and then wrapped a soft towel around him.

“I’m going to eat, you should have a bath, too,” Arthur said. Merlin saw him glance at the bed and wisely decide to sit in a chair. Merlin washed as quickly as he could, dried himself off and eyed his clothes from yesterday that he’d left on the floor. He laid out Arthur’s clean clothes by the fire to warm them and then helped himself to Arthur’s oldest clothes from the back of the closet, tying his own belt around him.

Arthur stood, dropping his towel and Merlin was staring at the handsome body in front of him.

“You just went through a heat with me, don’t act like you haven’t seen all this,” Arthur said, rolling his eyes in what Merlin was choosing to interpret as a fond way.

“You’re a lot to take in,” Merlin said and he could feel Arthur's delight. Merlin helped Arthur into his clothes and boots.

Their first stop was to see Morgana, who had agreed to scent them and make sure they were decent enough to mix back in with the rest of the castle.

Merlin knocked on the door and Gwen answered. “Oh, hi,” she said. “Wasn’t sure if you’d be up. Not that I was thinking about what you were doing while you were laying down.” She winced, and carried on. “Please come in," she said opening the door wide for them.

Morgana said they smelled like each other but not like they were in heat and they separated for the rest of their shortened day. Arthur had important prince things to attend to, Merlin supposed, and Merlin had … leeches.

Gaius waited until dinner to start asking questions. Merlin should have known what was coming when Gaius served venison stew, his favorite.

“I take it things went well?” Gaius asked.

“Very well,” Merlin said, his cheeks and ears on fire.

“Will the Prince require a healing draught of any sort?”

“Seemed fine,” Merlin replied.

“Bonding?”

Ah, yes. “He felt when I did magic, but it was right after his heat so maybe the bond hadn’t dissipated.” Most alphas and omegas had a slight connection during heat, but true bonding was when they could sense each other long after the heat was over.

“He felt your … magic?” Gaius repeated.

“I’m probably going to feel every time one of those goonheads whacks him with a sword, it only seems fair.”

“Is he going to tell the King that he presented?”

“No, why would he?” Merlin asked over a mouthful of stew.

“Someone should, and I’ve known Uther Pendragon many years and I was hoping it wasn’t going to be me.” Gaius smiled grimly at Merlin. 

Merlin made a face into his stew.

 

❦❦❦

 

“A private word, Sire?” Gaius asked the next morning after the daily meeting with all of the heads of the castle. Arthur had agreed to tell his father about his presenting, but didn't want to do it alone. Merlin didn't blame him. 

“Of course,” Uther said and Gaius, Arthur, and Merlin followed Uther into the smaller ante-chamber.

“Yes,” Uther asked when the four of them were arranged in a circle, Merlin hanging to the back of Arthur’s heels.

“I come with the news that Arthur has presented,” Gaius said.

“It’s nearly winter,” Uther said his forehead creasing in confusion, “but happy news indeed.” He reached out and shook Arthur’s hand. “You are a man now, and I know you’ll do me proud.”

Merlin could feel Arthur’s instinct to flee, to run. “I’m an omega, Father,” Arthur said flatly and defiantly.

“An … omega?” Uther asked. He looked to Gaius. “What sort of sorcery is this?” Merlin wanted to defend magic against _that_ accusation.

“Not sorcery, just biology,” Gaius said. Uther’s face remained impassive but Merlin thought he could see his blood roiling underneath the surface.

“How could both Morgana and Arthur go against their most innate biology in such a deviation,” Uther asked rhetorically, shaking his head. “Well, you will leave immediately for Longthorpe in the morning,” Uther said. “Lady Wilona is an alpha and has been looking for a royal-born omega male for years.”

“Good news, Sire,” Gaius said. “Young Arthur here was lucky to go into his heat with a compatible Alpha.”

“Who?”

“Merlin,” Gaius said.

“The servant?” Uther’s voice was controlled but his face was turning deep crimson. Merlin wished he was anywhere else.

Uther took three steps forward and slapped Merlin hard across his cheek, enough to throw his head to the side and make his step falter. Merlin instinctively grabbed his cheek and stepped back from Uther, but Uther wasn't focused on Merlin. 

Arthur was holding his own cheek and Uther wrenched his hand down.

“Bonded,” he spat. “My own son bonded with a _servant_.” Merlin could see the handprint blossoming across Arthur’s cheek.

“Father,” Arthur said, taking a step forward. “Merlin already has shown his devotion to Camelot and to me and he will be close enough to mask my scent with his scent so no one will suspect.”

“And now he can take a beta wife, which could work strategically, say with Conwy,” Gaius said in that even tone of his, everyone ignoring that Merlin had been slapped.

“I’ll take that under advisement,” Uther said. He turned to Arthur. “You must remain the most skilled fighter. Do not give anyone leeway to suspect that you are what you are.” Uther had a look of disgust on his face. He turned and left without another word, and then Arthur, Gaius and Merlin filed out the way they had come in.

Arthur was cheerful. “That went way better than expected,” he said to Merlin and Gaius in a low voice as they walked down the hallway.

Merlin wasn’t looking at execution by beheading the next morning, so he considered it a win, as well. He held his throbbing cheek.

They went straight to Gaius’s workshop and he made them something for their cheeks. “It was a cruel but effective way to see the bonding,” he remarked as they held their matching poultices to their faces.

“Do you think Uther is going to keep slapping me?” Merlin asked.

“He proved his point,” Arthur said. “I imagine he’ll keep his feelings towards you verbal only as to not harm me.”

"So is this the end? We're bondmates and your father isn't going to have me executed for defiling his son?"

He could feel the way Arthur would do whatever he could to protect Merlin against his father. "If you're worried about execution by defiling me, I suggest we keep it up." Merlin could feel the way Arthur wanted him. 

"Boys," Gaius said with a warning tone, although Merlin didn't know if that was for speaking against Uther or discussing sex where he had to hear it.

"I am at your service, as always," Merlin said and he and Arthur smiled at each other. 

**Author's Note:**

> My working title for this was SERVICE TOP MERLIN, and, listen, I stand by this assessment.
> 
> I am on [tumblr](https://numinousnumbat.tumblr.com/).


End file.
